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New California Republic
Overview ; The largest successor state to Old America, the New California Republic can trace itself back to the local governments of several Californian cities, including Los Angeles, Sacramento, and San Francisco. Until the recent turnaround in the Holy Columbian Confederacy, the NCR was unquestionably the most successful of nations in North America. Recent years have not been as kind, as Ceasars Legion presses west and the Haida raiders continue to harass and loot valuable trading ships, but the NCR is still able to defend herself. History The Warlord Era Historically, California was a divided realm, carved up by petty warlords into different various realms until stabilizing into the former kingdoms of Baja, Socal, The Valley, Gran Frisco, and Jefferson. Status quo would hold for a couple hundred years, with one warlord occasionally uniting multiple kingdoms together but never all 5 at once and shattering back into independent realms upon each conquerors death until Elton I "The Lawgiver" Yudkow of The Valley and The War of Unity. The Beginning of the War The War of Unity would begin with King Dalton IV Aureus of Gran Frisco executing a famous Imamite preacher by the name of Al-Karim of Socal. King Musa, of Al-Karim's home of Socal, would demand justice for the Imamites death. However, Gran Frisco was in a stronger position militarily and Musa was unable to do anything against Aureus by himself. This stalemate would be broken when Elton I Yudkow of The Valley sent out diplomatic overtures to King Musa explaining his sympathy for Musa and Karim and his desire to get justice for Karim. Now united in purpose, the two kingdoms would commence an invasion against Gran Frisco, with Musa attacking first and Elton leading a surprise force in a direct assault against San Fran itself. Pressed on both sides and with no allies, King Dalton IV would surrender and meet the same date given to Al-Karim, now given to him by King Elton I, who would also retain the crown of Gran Frisco. Ahmad's Rebellion Satisfied with the result, King Musa decided to meet with King Elton in Sacramento. A large procession of revelers, courtiers, and Musa's personal guard traveled from the Socal capital of San Diego to Sacramento, where the two kings would finally meet for the first time. The story goes that the two would go on and become great friends. Whilst the merrymaking was going on, trouble was brewing in the south. King Musa's brother, Ahamad, was a student of Al-Karim and was seething because Musa didn't invade Gran Frisco for revenge despite their southern border being unprotected against the Bajanos. The Bajacaliforniano city states were the last to organize into a kingdom, only finally achieving so 7 years prior, under King Dong-Sun Caballero, who was looking to continue expanding his new Kingdom. While in Sacramento, King Musa would be disposed by Ahmad and a group of nobles who had wanted war with Gran Frisco. After hearing of the news, Musa vowed to raise an army and take bake his birthright but before he could leave, Elton I would offer his army in assistance, in return for Musa's fealty. Recognizing his weaker position relative to his brother, Musa would accept and become the Deputy of Socal and the two set out for LA to raise his remaining army. After several skirmishes with Ahmads forces, Musa and Elton I would pursue Ahmad to San Diego where he would make a final stand and be slain by Musa in personal combat. The Bajano Invasion Due to the weakening of the Kingdom by Ahmad's Rebellion, the Bajanos felt encouraged to invade Socal and proceeded to sack the Fortress of Balboa in San Diego. Unfortunately, most of Socals archival records, including antediluvian records, were destroyed in the sack and lost forever. Elton took his forces to Balboa to meet with the Bajano army while Musa would finish the remaining rebellious Socal nobility. Both would be successful, with Elton said to have driven the Bajanos back into the sea. After finishing the remaining rebellious nobility and confident in Musa to march down to Bajacalifornia and punish them, Elton would return home to Sacramento to give his army time to rest and himself a chance to begin reorganizing his new holdings. While in the Golden City, Elton would be struck by the idea which would eventually become Ceticism. While Elton began his writings on Ceticism and The Way of the Fist, Musa had moved south, razing Ensenada to the ground. Drawn out by the need to hold his new Kingdom together King Dong-Sun Caballero would meet Musa outside of the Guerrero Negro Saltworks and defeated. King Dong-Sun surrendered, laying his crown at Musa's feet. In an act of Mercy, Musa would accept his surrender and brought Dong-Sun and his crown to Elton, who would allow him to become Deputy of the Baja. The Caballeros would lead the Californio people into becoming some of the Emperor's most stalwart supporters. The Formation of Ceticism In a period of peace following the Baja conquest, Elton would formulate the basis of what would become Ceticism. Elton understood that his new holdings and vassals covered a wide range of cultures and religions and that those could be potential sources of conflict or even rebellion, so he sought a way to unify the land without drastic societal and religious upheaval. Eventually creating a philosophy that people can keep their gods and cultures, but must do so in service of the soon to be formed Empire. Following Emperors would expand the philosophy until the collapse of the Empire and subsequent republicanization. The Incorporation of Jefferson While organizing both his new lands and philosophy, Queen Daphne II of Jefferson died, leaving the Queendom to her 8 year old daughter, Columbia. Relations between Jefferson and The Valley were already tense due to Columbia's grandmother Sequoia I attempting to invade during Elton's predecessors reign, when Elton was still only just a court scribe. Elton, recognizing destiny when presented to him, offered Columbia a chance at being his Deputy of Jefferson in return for her fealty, and despite many of her vassals calling for a armed resistance, Columbia's father, the King-Consort, would get her to swear loyalty. The creation of the Celestial Empire Having united all of the lands of Old California under one crown, Elton would melt the 5 crowns together and with the metal create a new crown and scepter befitting of the Emperor of California. Crowned as Elton I "The Lawbringer" Yudkow, Emperor of California and the Protector of the Baja. Centrally organized, with Deputies controlling each of the former Kingdoms subservient to the Emperor, Elton had created what many had only dreamed of. Attempting to eliminate the most obvious problem, Emperor Elton I would begin to introduce Ceticism to the various Deputies and their now-called States. Allowing for religious pluralism as long as it is done in service of the Emperor and recognizing the Emperor as the final authority of temporal matters were the main tenets. Finally, with the land united, a great many civil service projects were begun, including irrigation and road laying. The first real large scale constructions since the Age of Fire had finally commenced. Life in the Empire improved and the Yudkow dynasty's place was cemented. The California Golden Age Elton would continue building civil buildings and to hone the Cetic philosophy until his death in 2163. His son, Edward I, would continue these policies and begin a system of mutual defense and open trade between California's neighbors, enforced by the Empire. Seeing everything outside of California as barbarian wasteland, the Emperor felt no need for continued expansion. California's influence would not be restricted to just its borders. The Empire's economical and military power influenced the lives and politics of neighboring states. In exchange for yearly tribute as well as serving as buffer states against the Christians of the Midwest and Mexico, California allowed its neighbors to live in peace, the citizens of its tributaries granted free passage into the Empire and preferential treatment when it came to trade. It did not mean a complete lack of conflict, but such matters are solved quickly lest the squabbling attract the ire of Sacramento. Generations would pass without major conflict besides the occasional easily repelled barbarian horde attack in the south or northeast. The office of the Governatus, the commander-in-chief for the Celestial Emperor, was created to deal with them, leaving the Emperor free to govern California and work on their Cetic writings. Trade would be established with the Kingdom of Hawaii, with the Emperor eventually drawing his personal guard from there. One of the Crown princesses, with Yusef the Pilgrim from Socal, would create the Fleet of Grass with the empires help and attempt to find the Muslim Holy Land and riches. They would never be heard from again. Both the Brotherhood of Steel and the Californian Rangers would be formed in this period. Language was codified and standards were introduced for weights, measurements, and money. During Emperor Ruben I reign, the Gaians to the North of the Empire were members of the tributary system. Most paid yearly gifts of treasure to the Emperor, becoming Californian Prefectures in all but name but a few polities were granted special privileges. One such polity was the Sacred Grove of Portland, a theocratic state governed by a council of Druidesses. As a sacred site to both Gaian Cetics and proper Gaians, Portland only paid a quarter of the yearly tribute to the Empire, so long as pilgrims from California are guaranteed protection and the freedom to worship. Inevitably tensions would mount between the local druids and the foreign clergy, leading to send conflict and the Empires first lost. Shocked by being the first Emperor to lose a war, Ruben I would be found dead days after hearing the news. He's successor, Elton III, didn't wish for continued conflict and would excited the Cetic Guru who caused the conflict in the first place, his head to the Portlanders. Further, the Sacred Grove of Portland's status as tributary was changed to that of 'Honored Friend of the Empire', granting Portland full protection and trade rights without having to pay tribute for twenty years. For the Portlanders, the reparations meant little compared to what had been lost. Acres of sacred forest had burned in the battle for Portland, with the death toll from the Portland campaign reaching thousands. The privileges of being an 'Honored Friend' of California meant little as well, as in the coming years other realms in the Pacific Northwest would attack Portland, with the only support from Sacramento being a token force of inexperienced soldiers. This would set the stage for the next major attempted expansion of the California Empire The Northern Prefectures Elton III son, Hetch I, would take the opposite Way of his father and made it his imperial prerogative to conquer the northern Gaians and officially incorporate them into the Empire. Hetch I would call for a grand coalition of California forces to bring the tree-huggers under heel. The campaign ended in disaster. The Emperor, while in the midst of a great battle, was struck by one of the tree-dwellers weapons - his leg caved in and his ability to fight on the front forever destroyed, the Emperor ordered the frontlines guarded and retreated to the eastern capital. The wound had come as a great shock to the great Emperor - for days he insisted it was a minor wound and would soon heal, but as time went on his attempts at walking grew more pained and his moods often turned darker and darker, until he found solace in gifts of Valleyan wines. After his impairment, he grew more interested in drink and idle fancy rather than governance, relegating many of his traditional tasks and responsibilities to courtiers and his Governatus. Thus began the many excesses of the Bureaucracy. The Governatus, Jeff Madonna, had envisioned this as a chance to cement his authority, and he ordered his most loyal into positions of governance over the various prefectures of the Celestial Empire. In the following scores of years, courtiers abused their power, as the local despots levied exorbitant taxes, seized property, pillaged coffers, and violated the common folk. The Northern Prefectures were left isolated, as attacks from the followers of the Tree increased tenfold. The Governatus ruled that the Prefectures were less important than the empire itself, and eventually, General Kirk Gable and his men abandoned their stations, fleeing southward to guard the northernmost border of the empire. Thus, the imperial roads in the north were abandoned, and Gaian pilgrimages to the Redwoods increased in intensity and in fervor, as many Druids began claiming of revelations from the Earth. One of these visionaries, who called himself "The General of Gaia", claimed that the Emperor would perish soon, from a fall caused by his wound. None believed him, and all were in shock when the Emperor fell down the entrance to the Imperial Hall - a fall no doubt caused by his wound. Overnight, political squabble overtook the imperial court, as factions fought to push their favored prince to inherit. The Bear Throne sat empty for a week, as the struggle grew more intense. Finally, the Prefect of the Motherlode, Will Steely, crushed his opponents, including the former Governatus. With his rule secure, the new Governatus placed forth the prince Chad, the Steward of the Northern Palace and Emperor Hetch's fourth son, on the throne. Emperor Chad, now known to many as "the Boneless", ruled from behind a screen, as he delegated tasks to the Governatus and his ensemble while he immersed himself in indulgent amorous activities with his youthful consort, Empress Amanda. Now, let us get started. This lore post will contain information about the Green Sash Uprising - that which tore the Celestial Empire asunder and sent commoner and emperor alike into fright. As always, you are free to ask questions. I will respond to what I am allowed to answer, and this will have accompanying maps and screenshots for your viewing pleasure! As the ancient wisdom of Guru Guan holds for all things in the world, that which is long united must divide; long divided, must unite. Thus it has ever been. In the twentieth year of the Brave and Sixth Filial Emperor, Hetch Yudkow the First, the Imperial Court ordered the grand coalition to pacify the northern Cascades. The heretic-Queen Ellen had defiantly refused Imperial commands, and she posed a direct threat to Imperial authority in the Northern Protectorate. This would be the climax of the Northern campaigns - the general Kirk Gable had been stationed awaiting imperial orders, and the Emperor personally took command of the campaign, leading the vanguard forward to the frontlines. Map of the Empire at this time. The Emperor Hetch the Brave The campaign ended in disaster. Our Brave and Filial Emperor, while in the midst of a great battle, was struck by one of the tree-dwellers weapons - his leg caved in and his ability to fight on the front forever destroyed, the Emperor ordered the frontlines guarded and retreated to the eastern capital. The wound had come as a great shock to the great Emperor - for days he insisted it was a minor wound and would soon heal, but as time went on his attempts at walking grew more pained and his moods often turned darker and darker, until he found solace in gifts of Valleyan wines. After his impairment, he grew more interested in drink and idle fancy rather than governance, relegating many of his traditional tasks and responsibilities to courtiers and his Governatus. Thus began the many excesses of the Bureaucracy. The Governatus, Jeff Madonna, had envisioned this as a chance to cement his authority, and he ordered his most loyal into positions of governance over the various prefectures of our Celestial Empire. In the following scores of years, courtiers abused their power, as the local despots levied exorbitant taxes, seized property, pillaged coffers, and violated the common folk. The Northern Protectorate was left isolated, as attacks from the followers of the Tree increased tenfold. The Governatus ruled that the Protectorate was less important than the empire itself, and eventually, Kirk Gable and his men abandoned their stations, fleeing southward to guard the northernmost border of the empire. Thus, the imperial roads in the north were abandoned, and Gaian pilgrimages to the Redwoods increased in intensity and in fervor, as many Druids began claiming of revelations from the Earth. One of these visionaries, who called himself "The General of Gaia", claimed that the Brave and Sixth Filial Emperor would perish soon, from a fall caused by his wound. None believed him, and all were in shock when, in the thirty-seventh year of his reign, As the realm slid further into chaos, disasters struck - the raids from the north increased, the ground shook asunder, and crops failed for years on end. The citizenry struggled on the verge of starvation and death as the bellies of the officials grew wider. As the ability of the court decreased, the duties of the prefects and officials increased. One official in particular, James Gearhart, had been zealously promoting a tithe on the Gaian processions, which he felt had now overwhelmed the Redwoods. Many of those who conducted the pilgrimages refused to pay the tithe - dissidence turned into anger when pilgrims were seized at random by James' order, and the area grew unstable with contempt for the court. In the fourteenth year of Emperor Chad, James Gearhart, angered at the lack of tithes, decided to force the pilgrims to pay, and punish those who refused. Sources are unclear on what followed exactly afterward - but by the end of the day, thousands of pilgrims lay dead among the burning remains of the Great Redwood trees. The very symbol of the Celestial Empire was laid ablaze, and the empire itself was responsible. The General of Gaia, who had made himself untraceable since his prophecy regarding the Brave Emperor, appeared once more, urging the common masses of the North to rise in revolt. With the cry of the Redwoods, dissidents began turning to rebels, shouting out that "Old is the heaven and necessary are the changes". The General bided his time, growing his following from a few social outcasts to many thousands within a year. Finally, he announced to all his followers - "In the Fifteenth Year, all is auspicious". Thus it was, that, at the beginning of the fifteenth year of the Emperor, 2611 AD (American Dating), large droves of people, who had long been abused and extorted, began to rise up in rebellion. Thousands upon thousands of the starved and disaffected began to take arms against the court, waving their green sashes high. The uprising seized and razed the offices and homes of local authorities, killed Imperial officials and captured city after city. The revolt spread like wildfire, and within five days the entirety of the Northern prefectures had fallen, as the court was shocked to the point of inaction. An emergency meeting of the court was declared, as the various armies of the empire were too scattered about to effectively respond. With urging of the Governatus Steely, the Emperor lifted one of the laws that the Emperor Lawgiver had laid down - that no prefect or governor may raise their own army. He ordered the prefects and governors of the realm to recruit from their citizenry and fight the rebellion, as more joined the cause of the rebels. Demographics & Inhabitants Cultures The descendants of the Americans and Latinos from California to Nevada * Bayfolk: The inhabitants of the coastal regions of California from San Luis to Humboldt. Famous for their wine, wealth, and relatively high level of education. Their lands center on the magnificent San Francisco Bay, the most important port on the west coast. * Valleyan: The simple, hardworking people of California's central valley. Despite being poorer than their coastal cousins, they take great pride in being the home and people of the Capital and golden city of Sacramento. * Angeleno: Though centered on the Los Angeles - San Diego axis, the Angeleno stretches far into the mojave desert and the arid interior of southern California. The Angelenos consider themselves descendants of the stars themselves, and shines to small golden statues of "Oscar" are frequent attractions in their cities. * Cascadian: The less populated area of the Cascadia region is home to the native Cascadians, a land strung between the encroaching First Nations and Californian kingdoms. Though a chunk of South-West Oregon is ruled by the Portlanders and Paiutes, the coast and the Californian kingdom of Jefferson are all Cascadian. Only the Oregon coast, however, is fully Gaian and Cascadian, as part of their lands are ruled by the Cetics under the Republic of California * Calaotians: After the Cataclysm, the refugee Hmong, said to be from far across the great ocean, farther even then Hawai'i or Nippon, were better adapted than their native neighbors to survive the hardships and misery of the dark ages. While they are still a fairly distrusted minority, they dominate the southern reaches of the San Joaquin valley and the hills around it. * Paiute: The Paiute people live on the fringes of the Californian lands. Marginalization by the former Celestial Empire has led to the Death Valley prefecture becoming nearly independent. The Californian Paiutes adopted the Cetic faith, while those beyond Cali generally seem to lean either towards Gaianism or to Mormonism. * Californio: When the Empire of California arose, the Celestial Emperor decreed that there is only one California. The Empire absorbed Baja California, and promoted a Californio as King. Since then, the Californio have largely renounced religion, instead swearing loyalty to the Celestial Emperor in Sacramento. On the rocky islands to the west and south, though, Californio pirates prowl the waves. * Chino: The Chino are unlike any other culture in Mexico. Their language is an odd blend of Spanish and some unknown tongue. They use odd pictograms in addition to the standard Latin Alphabet. They put their surname ahead of their given name. Even visually, they appear different from the rest of the Mexicano population. It is unknown where exactly they came from, only that their odd traditions are shared by the Calaotians up north, and every now and then, an odd visitor from across the sea speaks of similar traditions... Cities The largest city, Sacramento, has a population of 61 thousand people, the second largest, San Diego, has 30 thousand. There are 4 other cities of note in the kingdom (San Francisco, Los Angeles, Fresno, and Cabo San Lucas) and 60 towns. The remaining population lives in numerous small villages, isolated dwellings, etc. Government & Politics The New California Republic is a federal unicameral presidential republic based on the principle of representative democracy, established as the successor of Old America. The executive branch is the Council, headed by the President of the New California Republic and their Vice-President, elected by the Congress. The Congress, also known as the Senate, forms the legislative branch and is a unicameral parliament staffed by representatives elected in popular elections by citizens of each county that comprises the Republic. Apart from legislation, the Congress also acts as an advisory body to the government of the Republic. Notably, while the general term for representatives is "Congressman", the states themselves use use a variety of titles: "Councilor," "Counselor," "Councilman," "Representative," and "Senator." The terms are used interchangeably and used widely outside the chambers of the Council and Congress, but within them they can be used as insults and spark furious debates. Each county represented in NCR Congress sends one representative to Sacramento. The judicial branch comprises courts and judges ruling in accordance with NCR's adapted version of American common law. Law Civil law As mentioned above, NCR citizens have the right to vote for their representatives to sit in the Congress. Both citizens and non-citizens enjoy the protection of NCR's courts (although courts tend to favor citizens in disputes). Orcs and Goblinkind are also protected since 2589, but enforcing this part of the law has been spotty. Intellectual property laws have been enacted and remain a source of ongoing controversy, particularly patents. The NCR Bill of Rights is based on the Bill of Rights in the Old America Constitution, and guarantees many of the same rights and freedoms found in the US Constitution to NCR Citizens, including: * Freedom of speech, press, assembly, and religion. Strict separation of church and state. * The right to bear arms for self-defense, though settlements are permitted to make reasonable restrictions, such as prohibiting open carrying of weapons (weapons not sheathed or bound) within city limits, as well as restricting possession of certain weapon types (such as explosives) within city limits. * Prohibitions of discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, sexuality, or aforementioned religious beliefs. * The right to a speedy trial by jury, as well as protection of unreasonable searches and seizures, and protections against self-incrimination and double jeopardy. * Slavery and involuntary servitude are prohibited except as a sentence for a crime handed out by a court of law (i.e. prison work crews). * Powers and responsibilities not given to federal government are given to the states and individual settlements instead. Immigration laws Immigration into the NCR is open to both humans, Orcs, and (controversially) Goblinkind, provided they are law-abiding and peaceful. The process is simple. The person in question moves to an NCR territory, presents their claim for immigration, undergo citizenship training, and once his application is processed is granted the status of a Provisional Citizen (PC). Full citizenship is granted shortly afterwards. All registered citizens are required to pay any appropriate and associated taxes. Territories can petition the Republic for annexation. Once the petition is accepted, the NCR grants the town territorial status and establishes a police and army presence in the location to establish the rule of law and eliminate law-breakers. Once this process is completed, the territory can apply for full statehood. The frontier New Vegas or the former Northern Protectorate of Cascadia are the closest to becoming the next state of the union. Criminal law The Republic dedicates itself to bringing peace, security, and justice to the people within and without their borders. When the NCR can excise rule of law on criminals, it is done so according to the severity of their crimes, with the death penalty being reserved for serious offenses. Notably, murder does not automatically translate to a capital sentence. Punishment for criminals inside NCR proper means serving prison time at any number of correctional facilities and performing manual labor for the NCR's work release program. However, outside the NCR's metropole is a different story. The NCR Army isn't keen on peacekeeping activities and usually swiftly punishes crimes committed in around the boarderlands with death. Part of this includes the setting of bounties and delegating the responsibly of capture to able civilians that can bring in criminals that have eluded NCR lawmen or military. At least for the military, bounties require proof in the form of an intact head; anything less conclusive results in a fraction of the bounty being rewarded. Common municipal laws in the NCR boil down to: * a ban on slavery, unlicensed gambling, and unlicensed prostitution * a ban on open carry of weapons (although concealed carry/binding is permitted) * a ban on public drunkenness or drug use Although they are rigidly enforced in major NCR population centers, they tend to become more relaxed on the frontier. On the road, bylaws of the Republic allow for dismissing caravan members suspected of theft without pay. Military law This same rule of law also applies to prisoners of war. With laws enacted during President Mendez's administration, the NCR recognizes the rights of prisoners of war and approaches their care humanely and free from abuse. Most officers find these laws to be constricting, but resourceful officers find ways around it by employing the service of outside consultants. Laws pertaining to soldiers are quite severe. Cowardice before the enemy, especially desertion, is punished with death by hanging or to be shot on sight. Dishonorable conduct usually leads to a court-martial and may result in execution for particularly severe crimes. Internal conflicts In theory, this is a sound and well-balanced system, but in practice, every state tries to assert its independence and work towards furthering its own agenda. There is much friction between the states of Sacramento and Angelos, usually related to trade rights and caravan routes. Significant pressure is exerted on the political and economic direction of the NCR by a variety of private interests; in particular, the land barons whose wealth gives them great influence at the ballot box and whose needs are often placed first by officials seeking support in their political ambitions. With the armed forces, the Gun Runners gain special dispensation and influence as they are the primary contributor to NCR's weapon arsenal. Elsewhere, monopolies like the Crimson Caravan and similar trading families dominate the trade routes and use their wealth to gain influence with the NCR government and extort large amounts of money. Smaller competitors who are unable to compete with both the larger competition as well as the high taxes are inevitably muscled out. The president is the biggest factor in deciding on the course the Republic should take. For example, under Mendez, the NCR has grown substantially, focusing efforts on rebuilding the pre-War infrastructure and restarting technological development, while under Norton the NCR is becoming more imperialistic and expansionist. Government Offices The Government Offices of the NCR are an extension of the Executive Branch of Government, tasked with enforcing and carrying out the various laws of the New California Republic, being roughly analogous with Executive Departments of the pre-war United States. Appointments are made based on the concept of observational promotion. In short, it was a system that the bureaucrats were promoted based on the recommendation of the locals, believed to possess the ability and morality. Of course, in practice, it gradually becahas become means for the abuse of power and corruption, where power, money and social reputation are in charge. Office of Defense Oversees the national security of the NCR, includes the New California Republican Army and the New California Rangers as well as some civilian employees involved in oversight of the military. Office of Justice Charged with the enforcement of the law within the NCR, including the regulation of various local police forces, sheriff's departments, town guards, and militias, as well as operating the NCR's Federal Law Enforcement services, most notably the NCR Marshals Service and the NCR Correctional Service. Office of Science, Magics, & Industry Tasked with conducting scientific/magical research for the advancement of technology and the improvement of infrastructure in the New California Republic, as well as regulating scientific/magical research by private organizations within the borders of the Republic. The organization works closely with the Office of Resources and Office of Transportation and Infrastructure. Office of Resources The Office of Resources and Energy are charged with regulating the use and preventing the overuse, destruction, or pollution of natural resources, including water, mineral resources, agricultural land, and forest resources in the NCR, etc. Works closely with the Office of Science and Industry. Office of Health and Safety The Office of Health and Safety is charged with promoting the health and safety of civilians in the NCR, a task which includes roles as diverse as maintaining the NCR Health Service, setting standards for medical licensing. Office of Education Sets standards for education in the NCR, including both basic education and higher education, setting up both primary schools and the various campuses of the University of New California. Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Tasked with the maintenance of transportation and infrastructure systems, including roads, harbors, water and sewer systems, dams, and other infrastructure within the NCR. Among the largest branches is the Bureau of Infrastructure Maintenance, charged with the construction and maintenance of infrastructure. The OTI also contains the registry for ships and the few airships in civilian hands in the NCR. The OTI works closely with the Office of Science and Technology on many of its projects. Office of Foreign Affairs Tasked with maintaining relations and embassies with various other states. Infrastructure Civilian While not reaching the level of pre-dragon America, the NCR has been able to either maintain or rebuild most of the existing/previous infrastructure and it's citizens enjoy one of the highest standards of living in the world. Major roads are no longer paved with concrete, now being made of gravel with more minor roads just marked and maintained. Using either magic or ingenuity, irrigation systems are in use in major cities and for crops. Most antediluvian buildings are gone, save for those made of stone, metal, or the few that are carefully maintained, but new constructions of stone and wood are created constantly and experiments on basic concrete's has started. A handful of both magical and non-magical colleges have been constructed, the most prominent being Yoosi Davis. The Gnomes and their Brotherhood of Steel, from their offshore oil rig home have begun to research ancient technology from antediluvian California, such as the Golden Gate bridge and railroads. Naval The seat of the NCR's naval power is San Francisco, where the great shipyard and main drydocks of the Republic are located. Centrally positioned with a naturally protected bay, the Republic is able to support the second largest navy on the west coast with these facilities. It is also home to one of the few airshipyards in existence, capable of not only repairing airships but constructing new ones, although the cost is great and the process extremely time consuming. Assets Defenses The New California Republic has 450 active castles and 110 ruined. Of these, 360 castles and 88 ruined are in civilized lands, and 90 castles and 22 ruined are in the wilderness, along borders, etc. Industry and Trade Guilds and Factions Architecture Geography The kingdom of New California Republic covers an area of 225 thousand square miles. Of this, 60% (136 thousand sq. miles) is arable land, and 39% (88 thousand sq. miles) is wilderness. Natural Resources